Seedless table grape (grapevine) named ‘ARDTHIRTYEIGHT’

ABSTRACT

A new distinct variety of grapevine named ARDTHIRTYEIGHT abundantly forms attractive crunchy seedless elongated berries with a yellow-green skin coloration, medium density and medium sized clusters which display a naturally sweet flavor which is ready for harvesting during August in San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A, and displays good eating qualities as a table grape, having a firmness amenable for handling, shipping, and storage.

Classification: The present invention relates to a new Vitis viniferaGrapevine.

Variety denomination: The new Grapevine has a varietal denomination‘ARDTHIRTYEIGHT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Vitis viniferaand is a mutation of the ARRAFIFTEEN variety. A breeding program wasinitiated during the late 1990's near Bakersfield in the San JoaquinValley of Central California. In 2010, during this breeding program, aspontaneous mutation of the ARRAFIFTEEN variety was discovered.

TABLE 1 ARDTHIRTYEIGHT compared with parent & closely related variety:Variety/ ARDTHIRTY- ARRA- AUTUMN Characteristic EIGHT FIFTEEN KING SkinMedium Thin Medium Berry shape Crunchy Crispy, Meaty Meaty & Soft andJuicy Berry size 21 mm × 40 mm 22 mm × 24 mm × 29 mm 33 mm

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

ARRAFIFTEEN

The new variety of the present invention was found as a mutation duringasexual propagation in 2010 near Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valleyof Central California, U.S.A. by bud grafting on mature Thompsonrootstock (non-patented in the United States).

It was found that the new grapevine of the present invention possessesthe following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) Forms attractive crunchy seedless elongated berries with a        yellow-green skin coloration; in medium density and medium sized        clusters which display a naturally sweet flavor,    -   (b) Commonly bears fruit during the month of August in the San        Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A., and    -   (c) Bears fruit that is firm and is well amenable for storage,        handling, and shipping.    -   (d) Produces 40 bunches per vine, and an average of about 1-2        bunches per shoot, at a total of 48 lbs. fruit per vine.

The new variety during observation to date has displayed no visibledisease, and has displayed an ability to well resist cold, drought,heat; but sensitive to direct exposure to sun and wind. The fruit of thenew variety has been found to display excellent handling and shippingqualities combined with desirable dessert eating qualities.

The new variety of the present invention has been found to undergoasexual propagation beginning in 2012 near Bakersfield in the SanJoaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A. by bud grafting on matureThompson rootstock (non-patented in the United States). Such asexualpropagation has been conducted thereafter in successive years to dateand has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictlytransmissible from one generation to another. Accordingly, the newvariety undergoes asexual propagation in a true to type manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ARDTHIRTYEIGHT is a white seedless table grape with ahigh production, e.g., about 40 bunches per vine, and an average ofabout 1-2 bunches per shoot.

Asexual reproduction by micro propagation of the new variety asperformed near Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.A., shows that the forgoing andother distinguishing characteristics come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical six-year-oldspecimens of the new variety, vegetatively propagated, in color asnearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a color illustrationof this character. Colors in the photograph may differ from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description below, whichaccurately describes the colors of the new Grapevine.

FIG. 1 shows leaves, stems and grapes of ARDTHIRTYEIGHT.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is The RHS Colour Chartof The ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (3^(rd) Edition). The description isbased on the observation of plants growing on ‘Thompson Seedless’rootstock outdoors near San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.

VINE CHARACTERISTICS: vigor Vigorous upright shoots productive capacityBearing at a natural, average capacity. Spur pruning. trunk Strong anddeveloped. Diameter is 2.3 inches, measured at 9 inches above ground.Rough with a fibrous, shaggy exterior. Light maple brown coloring(greyed orange 166D)

-   -   -   Date of bud burst in Bakersfield, Calif.—February 26^(th).

YOUNG SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Openness of tip fully open Density ofprostrate hairs on tip absent or very sparse Anthocyanin coloration ofNone (yellow green prostrate hairs on tip 149C) Density of erect hairson tip absent or very sparse

YOUNG LEAF CHARACTERISTICS: Color of upper side of blade yellow green144A Color of lower side of blade yellow green 145A Density of erecthairs between main sparse veins on upper side of blade Density of erecthairs between main absent or very sparse veins on lower side of bladeDensity of prostrate hairs on main absent or very sparse veins on upperside of blade Density of prostrate hairs on main sparse veins on lowerside of blade

SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Attitude (before tying) semi-erect Color ofdorsal side of internodes yellow green 144B Color of ventral side ofinternodes yellow green 144C Color of dorsal side of nodes yellow green145A Color of ventral side of nodes yellow green 145B Density of graathairs on internodes absent or very sparse Density of prostrate hairs onabsent or very sparse internodes Length of tendrils 7.5 inches Diameterof tendrils 0.09 inches Color of tendrils yellow green 145A Number oftendrils at bloom 4 Positioning of first flowering and the first bunchis in the fruiting node 3rd node Inflorescence number per flowering 1-2shoot

FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS: Reproductive organs fully developed stamens andfully developed gynoecium Flower length 0.2 inches Flower diameter 0.1inches Pistil length 0.08 inches Pistil color yellow green 144A PollenAmount rich Pollen color yellow 11C Stamen color yellow green 144AStamen length 0.17 inches Number of stamen 6

-   -   -   First bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.—April 27th.        -   Date of full bloom in Bakersfield, Calif.—May 5th.

MATURE LEAF CHARACTERISTICS: Size of blade 7.5 × 6 inches Shape of bladewedge-shaped Base descriptors wedge-shaped Leaf margin doubly serrateLeaf apex acute Blistering of upper side of blade absent or very sparseDepth of upper lateral sinuses shallow Number of lobes five (Onlyvarieties with lobed leaves) Arrangement of lobes of upper slightlyoverlapped lateral sinuses Arrangement of lobes of petiole half opensinus Length of teeth 0.6 inches Ratio length/width of teeth mediumShape of teeth both sides straight Density of prostrate hairs betweenabsent or very sparse main veins on lower side of blade Density of erecthairs on main veins medium on lower side of blade Density of erect hairsbetween the medium main veins on upper side of blade Density ofprostrate hairs on main absent or very sparse veins on upper side ofblade Length of petiole compared to length moderately shorter of middlevein Top side color yellow green 147A Bottom side color yellow green147B Texture of upper side of blade little rough Texture of lower sideof blade rough Vein color on upper blade yellow green 145B Vein color onlower blade yellow green 145D Venation pattern for upper blade netlikevenation Venation patten for lower blade netlike venation Petiole length3.9 inches Petiole diameter 0.14 inches Petiole color yellow green 145APetiole texture smooth

-   -   -   Date of beginning of berry ripening in Bakersfield            Calif.—July 16th.

BUNCH CHARACTERISTICS: Size (peduncle excluded) medium Density ofberries on bunch medium Bunch length 5.8 inches Bunch diameter 4.5inches Length of peduncle of primary bunch 1.5 inches Diameter ofpeduncle of primary 0.11 inches bunch Peduncle of primary bunch coloryellow green 145B Peduncle texture smooth Bunches per vine 40 Averagebunch weight 1.2 lbs

BERRY CHARACTERISTICS: Size large Length 1.5 inches Weight 0.3 ozDiameter 0.7 inches Shape cylindrical Color of skin (without bloom)yellow green 150A Flesh color yellow green 145C Brix 21 Titrabableacidity percentage 0.7% Juice 3.4 pH Ease of detachment from pedicelmoderately easy Thickness of skin medium Anthocyanin coloration of fleshnone Firmness of flesh moderately firm Particular flavor natural sweetFormation of seeds none Berries per bunch 95

PEDICEL CHARACTERISTICS: Length 0.6 inches Diameter 0.1 inches Coloryellow green 1440 Pedicel texture rough

WOODY SHOOT CHARACTERISTICS: Woody shoot texture rough Woody shoot colorgreyed orange 165B Woody shoot length 72 inches Diameter 0.4 inchesInternode length 4.2 inches

-   -   -   Market use of observed plants.—Fresh market.

-   Age and growing conditions: Six years growing under Y system in    South Joaquin Valley (hot, dry summers).

-   Shipping characteristics: Number of days fruit has been stored under    specific conditions: Fruit was in cold storage. Stored in poly bags    inside Styrofoam boxes with sulfur pads. After 30 Days: rachises    were 60% green; 3% berry shattering; no berry wrinkling or cracks    were apparent.

-   DNA profile: To further the characterize the new variety DNA was    extracted from plant samples and a DNA profile was obtained at    California Seed & Plant Lab, California USA using base pairs for 10    standard microsatellite DNA markers. The data is presented    hereafter.

TABLE 2 DNA profile for ARDTHIRTYEIGHT Microsatellite DNA Allele SizesMarker in Base Pairs M1 228 238 M2 249 249 M3 179 194 M4 216 220 M5 273273 M6 145 151 M7 187 205 M8 247 255 M9 214 214  M10 237 247

The ARDTHIRTYEIGHT variety has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensityand duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions.

Additional information relating to plant and fruit disease and pestresistance or susceptibility has not been observed to date.Specification of the plant hardiness zone and the heat/cold resistancehas not been observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, botanically knownas Vitis vinifera, identified as ARDTHIRTYEIGHT, substantially as shownand described herein.